Fergus and Judith Wilson, regarded as Britain’s biggest buy to let landlords, are reported to have sold their empire of hundreds of homes in Kent to a foreign consortium for £250m.

In a statement to the Guardian and reproduced on the newspaper’s website, Fergus Wilson said: “We reached an agreement today with a consortium of buyers to sell our entire portfolio for a figure exceeding £250m. The consortium is foreign and not of any one specific nationality.”

The newspaper says the statement refers to Fergus Wilson in the first and third person and says: “He is sorry to be giving up but common sense must prevail. He is 67 years old and getting no younger. Buy to let became an obsession for Fergus Wilson. He is a self-confessed BTL junkie. Each day I must have my daily fix. I look up prices and say to myself what a lucky man I am.”

The statement added: “Owning BTL became a hobby for Fergus Wilson that simply got out of control. He says BTL is the national hobby and is followed by millions. Whether you are a tenant or an owner occupier or indeed a BTL landlord you have an interest in the letting industry for letting industry is what it is.”

The Guardian article is here.